Section 11 (1001-1100) Flashcards
pejorative
(adj.) derogatory, uncomplimentary
paucity
(adj.) small in quantity
pellucid
(adj.) easily intelligible, clear
penchant
(n.) a tendency, partiality, preference
penitent
(adj.) remorseful, regretful
penultimate
(adj.) next to last
penurious
(adj.) miserly, stingy
miser
a person who hoards wealth and spends as little money as possible
perfidious
(adj.) disloyal, unfaithful
perfunctory
(adj.) showing little interest or enthusiasm
permeate
(v.) to spread throughout, saturate
pernicious
(adj.) extremely destructive or harmful
perusal
(n.) a careful examination, review
perspicacity
(adj.) shrewdness, perceptiveness
pert
(adj.) flippant, bold
pertinacious
(adj.) stubbornly persistent
pervasive
(adj.) having the tendency to spread throughout
petulance
(n.) rudeness, irritability
philanthropic
(adj.) charitable, giving
phlegmatic
(adj.) uninterested, unresponsive
pillage
(v.) to seize or plunder, especially in war
pithy
(adj.) concisely meaningful
pittance
(n.) a very small amount, especially relating to money
placate
(v.) to ease the anger of, soothe
placid
(adj.) calm, peaceful
platitude
(n.) an uninspired remark, cliché
plaudits
(n.) enthusiastic approval, applause
plethora
(n.) an abundance, excess
pliable
(adj.) flexible
polemic
(n.) an aggressive argument against a specific opinion
poignant
(adj.) deeply affecting, moving
portent
(n.) an omen
potentate
(n.) one who has great power, a ruler
potable
(adj.) suitable for drinking
pragmatic
(adj.) practical
precipice
(n.) the face of a cliff, a steep or overhanging place
precocious
(adj.) advanced, developing ahead of time
predilection
(n.) a preference or inclination for something
preponderance
(adj.)superiority in importance or quantity
prepossessing
(adj.) occupying the mind to the exclusion of other thoughts or feelings
presage
(n.) an omen
prescient
(adj.) to have foreknowledge of events
prescribe
(v.) to lay down a rule
presumptuous
(adj.) disrespectfully bold
privation
(n.) lacking basic necessities
pretense
(n.)an appearance or action intended to deceive
primeval
(adj.) original, ancient
proclivity
(n.) a strong inclination toward something
profane
(adj.) lewd, indecent
probity
(n.) virtue, integrity
profligate
(adj.) dissolute, extravagant
dissolute
lax in morals; licentious
profuse
(adj.) plentiful, abundant
promulgate
(v.) to proclaim, make known
propensity
(n.) an inclination, preference
propagate
(v.) to multiply, spread out
propitious
(adj.) favorable
propriety
(n.) the quality or state of being proper, decent
prosaic
(adj.) plain, lacking liveliness
proscribe
(v.) to condemn, outlaw
protean
(adj.)able to change shape; displaying great variety
prurient
(adj.) eliciting or possessing an extraordinary interest in sex
prowess
(n.) extraordinary ability
prudence
(n.) cautious, circumspect
puerile
(adj.) juvenile, immature
pugnacious
(adj.) quarrelsome, combative
pulchritude
(n.) physical beauty
punctilious
(adj.) eager to follow rules or conventions
pungent
(adj.) having a pointed, sharp quality—often used to describe smells
punitive
(adj.) involving punishment
putrid
(adj.) rotten, foul
quandary
(n.) a perplexed, unresolvable state
quagmire
(n.) a difficult situation
quaint
(adj.) charmingly old-fashioned
quell
(v.) to control or diffuse a potentially explosive situation
querulous
(adj.) whiny, complaining
quixotic
(adj.) idealistic, impractical
rail
(v.) to scold, protest
quotidian
(adj.) daily (Ambika’s quotidian routines include drinking two cups of coffee in the morning.)
rancor
(n.) deep, bitter resentment
rancid
(adj.) having a terrible taste or smell
rapport
(n.) mutual understanding and harmony
rash
(adj.) hasty, incautious
raucous
(adj.) loud, boisterous
raze
(v.) to demolish, leve
recalcitrant
(adj.) defiant, unapologetic
recapitulate
(v.) to sum up, repeat
reciprocate
(v.) to give in return
reclusive
(adj.) solitary, shunning society
rectitude
(n.) uprightness, extreme morality
redoubtable
- (adj.) formidable (The fortress looked redoubtable set against a stormy sky.) 2. (adj.) commanding respect (The audience greeted the redoubtable speaker
with a standing ovation.)
reconcile
- (v.) to return to harmony (The feuding neighbors finally reconciled when one brought the other a delicious tuna noodle casserole.) 2. (v.) to make consistent
with existing ideas (Alou had to reconcile his skepticism about the existence of aliens with the fact that he was looking at a flying saucer.)
refract
(v.) to distort, change
refurbish
(v.) to restore, clean up
remedial
(adj.) intended to repair gaps in students’ basic knowledge
refute
(v.) to prove wrong
relegate
- (v.) to assign to the proper place (At the astrology conference, Simon was
relegated to the Scorpio room.) 2. (v.) to assign to an inferior place (After spilling a drink on a customer’s shirt, the waiter found himself relegated to the least lucrative
shift.)
regurgitate
- (v.) to vomit (Feeling sick, Chuck regurgitated his dinner.) 2. (v.) to
throw back exactly (Margaret rushed through the test, regurgitating all of the facts she’d memorized an hour earlier.)
remiss
(adj.) negligent, failing to take care
renovate
- (v.) restore, return to original state (The renovated antique candelabra
looked as good as new.) 2. (v.) to enlarge and make prettier, especially a house (After getting renovated, the house was twice as big and much more attractive.)